Tis The Season
by Poetic-Drug
Summary: Kotone and Silver decorate a tree, in their own, unique style. -Kotone/Silver pairing, semi-crack.


_**Story Title: **'Tis The Season.  
><strong>Author: <strong>BebePanda401  
><strong>Rating: 'K+' Just to be safe, since I am overly paranoid.<br>A/N: **So, as you all know, Today is...the twenty seventh of December. But it still counts as Christmas, in my mind at least. Aside all that, I've been reading some Christmas-themed stories in the Fanfiction archive for Pokemon- and they all have the same general plot line: Hot chocolate, decorating, confessions, mistletoe, kissing, secret Santas, magical snow, more cheesy kissing...bleh. So, time for some BebePanda401 originality to be thrown into the mix! So yes, this **is **going to be a SoulSilverShipping story, but none of that cheesy stuff. Well, maybe a little, because you need fluffy sugar stuff on Christmas up to New Years, do you not?. But aside that...why is it I always have to re-write these flaming stories! This was 2000 words long...T_T You guys better like this, or I really will kill you! I have a Twilight fangirl on my side. And they are deadly...trust me when I say that. _

* * *

><p><strong><em>~'Tis The Season~<em>**

It was a written fact- Kotone **adored **the festive season.

She loved how, even with all of the fighting and sadness, how one small gift could bring a smile to a face. Hardly anyone could complain on Christmas- even if they did not have a lot of money. Kotone loved how people could be so charitable on Christmas, and that it was probably, the only time of year where there was true equality in the world. And the reason she loved it the most, was of how many smiles were present on all generations, be them old, young or in the middle. She believed that it was magic.

Everyone living in New Bark Town knew how much Kotone loved Christmas- and it was no surprise how optimistic (even moreso that the usual) she could be on that Special section of the year. It was something that had been passed down from her Father before her- he had also loved the season as much as she did. In fact, when he was her age and older, he used to leave small gifts from the start of December on everyone's porches in New Bark town. And Kotone was honoured that such a role of loving this season had been passed down to her.

Who couldn't love this season?

Well, apparently one person couldn't.

"Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way...huh?" Kotone sang, as she walked home from the Department store, carrying some last-minute gifts for some of her friends and her family for the Christmas party that she would be helping set up later on that very same day. However, as the 'huh' implied, her singing was brought to an unexpected halt, as she noticed- what seemed to be, a familiar face on the opposite side of the road.

However, due to the sheer amount of snow that was currently falling in her face and constantly blocking her vision to see clearly, she found that she could not pick out any distinguishing features from where she was standing. So, she decided to get a little closer to this person, in order to see if she actually knew him or not. As Kotone would put it: "Curiosity knows all the edges of the world and back again.'

As she got a little closer, she found out that the face she was trying to see held to very noticeable traits- bright red hair and sterling silver eyes. The name of this individual now circulated her mind, as she knew that these combination of features could only belong to one particular rival of hers. So with no effort at all, she decided to call the name in her mind, to assume that she was correct.

"Silver?"

And with that, she was right. For when his name was called, the person- Silver, raised his head. Kotone noted that, although he had his usual attire on him, he also had an addition to his outfit- a red scarf that she had forced him to wear on New Years day last year. When she came to think about it, that was the first time she had seen him since that previous summer.

His silver eyes, although slightly downcast, still bore that very same, very familiar scowl always plastered on his complextion. And when he came to notice who it was that just called his name, his scowl deepened even further. She also noticed that his face had gone slightly red from the cold, but he still scowled, as if it had been frozen there by the bitter weather. But Kotone didn't seem to mind at all.

She just smiled, knowing that he at least had kept the scarf and was actually putting it to good use.

"What do you want, troublesome?" Ah, the nickname again. That always seemed to be associated with her, whenever Silver was around, or at least in context. For she was called it often, usually when being teased about the person who _gave _her the nickname in the first place. But now was not the time for such trivial matters.

For she wanted to know, why he was alone.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you or anything. I just wanted to know why you are imitating the Grinch on Christmas eve. Shouldn't you be celebrating the festivities with your family, or something instead of sulking?" He scoffed at her, which caused the pig-tailed girl to become highly confused.

Kotone didn't actually know anything of Silver's back story, other than it was 'in the past and didn't matter at the moment.' She was curious, no doubt about that. But Kotone didn't want to pry into any details, just in case it upset Silver. It wasn't exactly her right to know or anything, but shouldn't he at least go home for Christmas? Wasn't his Mother waiting for him to go home?

"Butt out. Not everyone has that type of thing, idiot." His harsh attitude kicked in again. Kotone pouted childishly.

"You don't have to be so rude!" He smirked at her reaction.

Which would probably be the closest thing she ever got to a true smile on his face. However, she then felt a light bulb go off in her head, which caused Silver to look at her oddly, but his body beginning to feel a slight discomfort brew up in his gut- and it wasn't just from those cheap sandwiches he had bought earlier. Just what was she doing...? She then smiled, and glanced at Silver happily, but with a hidden sense of eeriness that the red-haired trainer knew that he would not be looking forward too one bit.

"W-what's that smile for...what are you pla-HEY! PERSONAL SPACE! PERSONAL SPACE!" Kotone had gotten right up close to his face, due to the fact that they would practically be making out if she got any closer to him. But Kotone being an innocent kind of character, didn't even know what that meant. Poor Silver had also been asked the doom-question: How were babies made.

That was not a pretty experience.

"You are coming with me."

And with that single statement, several protests being shouted in the process, Silver had found himself being dragged all the way back to New Bark town by the hair.

* * *

><p><strong><em>~In New Bark Town~<em>**

"So...wait, why am I here?"

After he had been forcefully dragged to New Bark town by Kotone, she had explained to him about the Christmas party that she had organized for that very same night. And, being the main organizer of the event, people had left her to do the decorating of the huge tree that had just been delivered by herself. She had also added that, to thank the delivery men for coming out so late at night, she had given them an especially big money-tip, but that wasn't the point that she was currently trying to make.

The point was, Kotone could not decorate a tree to save her life. One, because she was so short- a fact Silver constantly pressed on and teased her about, and two, she was just so clumsy. So, she needed some assistance with the task- but was too shy to ask anybody else that lived in her small town, as all of them were depending on her. And being Kotone, she didn't want to ask people that had requested anything for help- she might appear lazy in their eyes, and she wanted to leave a good impression.

Thankfully, she felt comfortable enough to boss Silver around, a fact...that he wasn't exactly pleased about.

"You are going to help me decorate the Town Hall, and that is final. Okay, Silver? Well, is that okay with you? Is it? Please say it is! Because then again, you really have no choice in the matter anyway, so I should not even be asking! Evil laugh time!." He crossed his arms, and smirked at the pigtail-wearing girl. Did she really think that she could boss him around that easily? Well, she had another thing coming.

"Why should I help you? I've got no good reason too-wait...you're not crying...are you?" Small tears had formed in her eyes, as she looked downcast at the floor, the droplets of liquid contacting the wooden paving of the Town Hall***. **Silver rubbed the back of his head, as he was unsure of how to deal with a crying girl- more or less Kotone. Even though he had become nicer...he was still cold.

Why was she crying? He had only asked a question...

...Well, he had nothing better to do...

"Urgh, fine! I'll help, just stop with those freaking tears already! Remember what I said about you and crying? They don't go well together, you should know that by now, idiot!" Kotone looked up at him, her big, brown eyes sparkling up at him. He got a little uneasy, as she suddenly outstretched her arms, and began to run towards him, a gigantic smile appearing on her face as he had revealed that he would help her with this decorating.

Silver found himself freaked out when the scenery surrounding him disappear and was to be replaced with sparkles and bubbles. And there, was Kotone, with hearts in her eyes...heading straight towards him with her arms still out-stretched.

"Silver...! Thank-you! I don't even care that you called me an idiot! Thank-you, Silver!" Silver's eyes widened, and stepped to the side as she ran towards him, which caused her to bang head first into the previously mentioned Christmas tree. Her eyes, now with tears of pain instead of joy, glared at him as he flinched from her glare.

He could tell, she probably was not happy.

"Meanie...!" She cursed, sucking her thumb and acting like a child...that had been refused a cookie after being bad. The redhead just sighed deeply, he still was not able to get used to her, even after knowing her almost two years. Now that he had the chance think, this was almost the day that they had actually met, when he had shoved her down when he was looking through the lab...

...who knew that meeting her, would change his whole life, and ways of looking at things? If it wasn't for meeting her...well, he did not want to spare a thought to what he would be like. Probably the same as he was- a cold, un-invititing character with a sterling silver heart. But as it turned out, silver could also be melted- it just took a different boiling point.

He really was getting cheesy.

Great.

"I don't do hugs, you should know that by now." He told her. Standing up with clenched fists, her eyes still glimmered in pure annoyance. A childish pout had also decided to invade her face as well, causing her to look...like a child. Again. How much more childish could she actually get anyway? It was starting to annoy Silver to a high extent.

"Then what DO you 'do'? Guys?" Silver sighed again. But Kotone, being bipolar, suddenly had another fantasy. A certain fantasy that involved Silver playing tonsil tennis with her other rival, Hibiki. Hearts formed in her eyes, as a cloud suddenly appeared above her head, picturing the former image.

"Kawaii~" Was all that Silver heard, before dusting away the cloud, containing...he didn't even want to go there. The brown-haired girl then got a little angry at him for destroying her fantasy.

Again.

"Why did you do that? I was having fun!" Silver turned red from pure anger.

"FUN? That was...DISGUSTING!" Kotone looked offended, before deciding to retort from that offending statement.

"But it was cute!"

"There is NOTHING, I repeat NOTHING, cute about me and that idiot together! I am freaking straight!"

"So why have I never seen you with a girlfriend? Answer that! You yaoi fanatic!"

"YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT YAOI MEANS!"

A thought then came to the young girls head. A thought, that she had never actually decided to ask about before, aside one person. It had always been plaguing her mind to ask it to somebody, but the only person who she had ever actually asked about was to her Mother- and she didn't give a very viable answer to her question. Not the type she was looking for, anyway. Maybe Silver, being a Kotone-proclaimed yaoi fanatic, may know something about the issue?

"How do two guys have sex?" She asked, innocently. Silver felt the world grow cold, as three imaginary dots formed above his head. Being a mature guy, he knew about this. But shouldn't Kotone know at sixteen years old? Weren't most Japanese girls into this type of thing, and American girls as well that knew of it? Either way...Silver knew this was not going to be pretty.

"I mean, I've asked my Ma about it before...she only said that you stick a key in the ignition, turn it and it starts vibrating. I don't understand...anyhow, shall we get decorating? Yay! Time to decorate!" Silver sighed. This was going to be a very, very long night- and what kind of Mother did that idiot even have anyway? Well...she raised Kotone. That would explain everything.

Everything.

* * *

><p><em><strong>~Decorating~<strong>_

"And put this tinsel around here..."

"Kotone..."

"And then this here...wow, this tree is smaller than I thought!"

"Kotone..."

"And the lights on!"

"KOTONE!

"What?

"You've decorated ME you idiot!" And as Kotone then stepped back to admire her handy work for that seemingly long night, she dead panned, as she then realized the horror, Silver was right. From head to toe, he had been covered in shimmering tinsel, radiating festive lights and the sparkling silver star that had been comfortably sitting on his head. And to top it all off, Silver had been tied up by it all, unable to move. Kotone glanced at the clock, and small tears formed in her eyes.

As Silver took all of the decorations off, she fell to her knees. The party was supposed to start in ten minutes! And she hadn't even decorated the tree properly yet! It looked so barren...as did her spirit. She felt hopeless and weak- she always did something like this on Christmas. Always making a fool of herself. Always and always...making such a fool of herself. Clenching her fists, Silver turned slightly shocked, as she started to cry a little from making this one mistake.

"You were right Silver...I am an idiot. Why didn't I realize it? I could never do something as big as this...I really am a fool. I should never have even tried to attempt this...I should have taken up her offer and just gotten Ma to do this or something. I'm not cut out for something like this. Keh, like you said- I need to stop being an idiot all of the time." Silver shook his head.

Kneeling down to her height, he started to act a little out of character. He then found himself placing a hand on her shoulder, in an effort of condolence. She looked up at the red-hair coloured teenager, slightly shocked at his actions. He wasn't smiling, but Kotone could tell that he was mustering up all his courage to try and at least act nice.

"Look. Shut your mouth. At least your trying. And this isn't like you at all. So get that stupid smile that you always wear back on your face already. You still have some time- we can decorate this if we hurry up. And yes, before you go all soppy on me again, I AM going to help. Geez...your so troublesome." More tears began to fall, as she nodded with a slight happy grunt.

And as the clock starting to tick, the two of them began to work. Circulating the tree with the multi-coloured lights, helping each other to get the wires to intertwine with every branch. The golden and red tinsel was then weaved around each branch, complimenting the lights as they glowed and reflected each flickering lamp. Silver was being the leader, giving small, but meaningful instructions as they went about decorating. There wasn't any blushing or accidentally touching hands, but it was enough to count as a nice, serene atmosphere.

Then, came the small decorations that hung off each branch, giving it it's own unique characteristic. And every single resident of New Bark town had their own decoration. Silver did not, but he didn't mind. Technically, he wasn't even a resident. He wasn't a part of this 'family' that Kotone referred it to, every single time that they talked about it. And now that he thought about it, secretly, he may have wanted to be a part of it. But he also enjoyed just talking with her.

Not that he would ever admit it, of course. He was...a Kotone-proclaimed 'Tsundere.'

"Now, for the star!" Kotone was proud, and she walked over to get the former proclaimed prize for the tree. It was a simple star, but looked like it had been made by a child. It was quite messy, but still held it's own unique beauty and speciality. Much like Kotone and Silver did...and every single person in this world.

However, due to her short structure...she wasn't able to reach the top.

"Grr! Mm!" Were the grunts she echoed, as she tried in vain to reach. Silver walked over to the struggling pig-tail wearing girl, as he found himself sighing for what seemed to be the millionth time tonight. He wondered if he would have any breath left after the end of tonight came. She didn't seem to notice his presence, for she kept on trying to reach the top, jumping a little as well.

"Want me to do it-" He found himself being cut off.

"NO!" He stepped back a little, surprised. She also sighed, imitating him from earlier.

"Sorry, I just meant, I want to do it. I at least...want to put something important up. I just want to do something important..." He smirked, as she turned her attention back to the tree, trying to find a way to get just a little taller.

However, she then felt a pair of arms snake around her waist and hoist her up into the air, causing her to almost drop the star that was held in both of her hands. Looking down, she saw Silver holding her up, his cheeks just a little lighter than his own hair colour. She too, had also gone a little red. Both of them had never really experienced anything like this before. Cliché, much?

"L-look, just hurry up and put the damned star on! You aren't as light as you look, you know! Childish idiot..." She glared at him for a split second for insulting her weight, but then smiled as she placed the star in its destined position. Slowly letting her back down to the ground, her face then lit up with a smile, her eyes shimmering with delight for the tree.

And she smiled at him, too.

"W-we did it! We actually did it!"

"Y-yeah..."

"So...now all that are missing are the people." Silver didn't care either way.

But Kotone had a thing for saying one thing, and then the complete opposite thing occurring as well. And as soon as she said those words, the air seemed to hear it, and signal around forty people to rush into the Town Hall, with gifts and children in their arms. And soon, a sheer amount of people had surrounded Kotone, congratulating her as the music started. Noting that he wasn't needed there anymore, Silver began to take off.

Wasn't needed...again.

* * *

><p><em><strong>~Stay for a while~<strong>_

"Well, better take off." Silver had gone through a side door, which seemed to always be convenient when somebody wanted to get out of a place that they didn't want to be in. He put on his signature black and red jacket, the red scarf also accompanied it, and he walked out of that place. Taking one last glance at the building, he noticed that it must be old- since there were plenty of cracks in it. Plenty, but they would be fixed up in due time. Because it was a treasured place. Somewhere for people to go, no matter what.

...Now he really was getting mushy. Kotone really had affected him on his journey, hadn't she...?

There wasn't any point in staying there for much longer. Aside Kotone, he had no reason of staying, and she seemed to be entertained enough. Sure, she may spare a thought and wonder where he had gotten to...but with all of this cheer, she would soon forget. As did so many people before him. As soon as a new Christmas miracle blessed them, they forgot about him.

But forget that.

Time to go.

But just as he took a step-

"You aren't planning on leaving yet, are you boy? I don't think you should go just yet, you know." His steps had suddenly grinded to a sudden halt, as his eyes rapidly widened at the voice. Turning around slightly, one silver eye found who the voice belonged to. And he was right in his assumption- it belonged to the Mother of the very girl he had been previously been thinking about.

Kotone's Mother. She still looked young, but mature...in a sense.

She _had _raised Kotone of all people. She had to be slightly crazy to raise such a person.

"Listen, I know who you are. You're Silver. My daughters rival. And she said that she wanted to spend Christmas with _everyone _that mattered to her. And being her most challenging rival, I think that applies to you as well." Silver turned around fully, to see her leaning against the door frame, eyes closed and holding a glass of what he could only assume was a Cherie of some kind. She was also smirking slightly.

He shook his head, much to her surprise.

"I don't think so." She raised an eyebrow.

"Well I do. She's looking for you." His eyes widened slightly, again.

"Look, I don't know what you're like, but I can tell you are a kind person, with a good heart. But I don't want you to be alone on Christmas, and neither does she. You got your starter here, right? That makes you family. You said that you are sorry, and the Professor allowed you to keep him. So don't be the scrooge, and have a little fun. But not too much fun with my daughter, got it?" She said, as she then went back inside.

He went slightly red at the thought.

But those thoughts were inturupted, as an 'ah!' could be heard in the midnight air.

"There you are, Silver! I've been looking all over for you for ages...! Oh...are you leaving here already? I mean, I know it's late an all..." She asked, saddened at the possible truth that was most likely etched into the future answer that he would give her.

He looked down. Then looked at the stars above, hoping not to regret his descion.

...

"No. I'm not leaving just yet."

She was surprised, but smiled at the red-haired rival of hers. He was opening up to Kotone, after all of this time? Did he want to stay with her now, or was he just...yes, he did want to stay with her for now! On Christmas, he wanted to stay with her! Her, of all people! And he wasn't denying it! Even Kotone could tell he was trying to make an effort to open up to people!

"Really?" He nodded.

"Then I want to show you something!"

Linking with his arm, she partially dragged, but slightly voluntarily on his part, him inside, where everyone was smiling and having a good time. People didn't pay the two youngsters much attention, an odd 'hello' here and there...but no attention was really given to them. Halting at the tree the two of them had decorated just moments ago, she broke the link between them, as she ran over to the tree.

And hanging off of one of the branches, she cupped one of the decorations. But this one, caused his eyes to shimmer slightly.

"Do you like it? I made it myself yesterday! I know you don't like mushy stuff...but I wanted to make you a part of this family as well! Do you, want to be in this- my family, with all of us? Do you like it? If not...I can always...take it down...it is up to you..." He was...shocked, to say the least. Family...friends. Things he thought he had lost long ago. But...

She was offering him a chance to be in a new one.

A new family...a new start.

...

How did she keep doing this? She was able to change someone from being a cold-hearted jerk...to a semi-inviting character? How? The old him would have not even bothered to help her decorate at all. But he did help her. He was starting to be the him from a long time ago. The very old him, the one in the distant past, the one with the ordinary name that his loving Mother had given him. The old him, that loved Christmas, and smiled every year. That was happy and cheerful.

Very much like Kotone.

She stood up, as he had hidden his eyes with his red hair. She was worried that he did not like it.

"S-Silver? Are you-" He suddenly wrapped his arms around her, tightly. Without any warning, which caused her cheeks to go warm- and his as well. But he was still hiding his eyes, but he was smiling secretly. Not showing that smile to anyone but herself, as she had been buried in him. She could here his pounding heartbeat- she could tell he was nervous.

People had began to stare at the sudden gesture from her rival, but they didn't care, and neither did the two of them. It was a time for happiness, not to judge on outward appearances. And they were happy for the two of them.

"Thank-you, Kotone." She smiled, as she returned his embrace.

"Y-you're welcome...but why are you-"

"You try to be mushy about this at all, and I will...I don't know what I will do. But let's just get this straight...I don't hate it at all. More like the luxury version of like." He had a strange way of re-wording words that he did not want to say. But that didn't matter to Kotone one bit, not at all. Because that was him. Silver was Silver. No more, no less. Just...he was just Silver. And that was fine.

Silver was just Silver. An uninviting character that hated the weak, but he had grown in these past few years that she had known him. Now, although he took a little bit of work, he had a good heart. He would try to at least be somewhat kind to those that he defeated, as he refused to take their money. Unless he was absolutely broke, but he wasn't so good at hiding his good heart anymore. Not to her, anymore.

And Kotone was Kotone. A weird, optimistic girl that like to smile and be happy about anything, even if her hair had been shaved off by a wild Pokemon. She would probably hug it and call it the most adorable thing ever. But that was fine with him- he didn't care what she acted like anymore. He wouldn't admit it...but he loved her just the way that she was.

At least...he could ask one thing of her.

"Just...don't let go. For a while."

"Okay."

And as they embraced tighter, they wouldn't let go, no matter what tried to pull them apart.

"Merry Christmas."

'Tis the season to be jolly, after all.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: **Yes, Silver was a little out of character. But Kotone was offering him the chance to get away from his old shame- what reaction would you have to that? Just a mere 'thanks?' Well, Merry late Christmas everyone, and I hope you enjoy the fluff and perverted humour! I really like this story for some reason. I think it is one of my best, actually. Merry Christmas everyone!_


End file.
